


Anniversaries Past, Present, & Future

by RagingBookDragon



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Anniversary, Attempt at Humor, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Day drinking, Friendship, Humor, Love Confessions, Reminiscing, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27677732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RagingBookDragon/pseuds/RagingBookDragon
Summary: One day out of the year, the Grandmaster and his second-in-command take a day off. No one knows why or what they do, but word has it that the second-in-command is sweet on the newest Templar. Who better to find out what they're up to than him?
Relationships: Shay Cormac/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Anniversaries Past, Present, & Future

**Author's Note:**

> Who is this author with the summary??? Enjoy! -Thorne

He waited patiently beside the door, eyes drifting over the garden. The middle of spring and it was in full bloom, painting the courtyard in a sea of pinks and purples. He’d no doubt that (Y/N) was the one who probably had the seeds planted. Without the color, the building was drab. He sighed and turned his attention back to the door, raising a hand to knock again.

Finally, someone opened the door, though he wasn’t expecting them. “ _Gist_?” he questioned. “I thought you were on the Morrigan?” He glanced in the direction he came, muttering more to himself, “ _Did you pass me on the way here and I not see you_?”

Gist’s laugh brought his attention back. “No, Shay. I left earlier this morning to leave a report for the Grandmaster and Lady (Y/N).”

“Are they inside? I need to talk to them.” Shay answered.

His first mate shook his head. “No, they’re not here today. Won’t be back until tomorrow, actually.”

The Irishman’s brows furrowed. “ _What_? What do you mean, _‘won’t be back until tomorrow’_?”

Gist snorted. “I forget you haven’t been with us that long.” He directed Shay with an arm around his shoulder. “See Shay, every year, the Grandmaster and Lady (Y/N) take the day off.”

“And do _what_?” Shay asked.

“No one knows.” Gist answered with a shrug of his shoulders. “Even the staff in their home doesn’t know. They all get the day off and aren’t allowed back until the next morning. Grandmaster Haytham and Lady (Y/N) pay for them to stay in one of the nicer inns if they don’t have family to stay with for the night.”

The Irish-Templar stopped and eyed the man suspiciously. “They take one day out of the year off and no one knows what they do.” His first mate nodded. “And no one has tried to sneak in and see?”

“Not unless you want Lady (Y/N) to shoot you between the eyes.” He offered Shay a knowing smile. “But I’m sure she won’t shoot the man she’s sweet on.”

Shay snorted and shoved off Gist’s arm. “ _Come off it. The lass isn’t sweet on me_.”

“On the _contrary_ , good friend. Lady (Y/N) speaks _highly_ of _you_.”

“And _that’s_ how you know she’s sweet on me?”

His first mate walked a few paces then spun around, offering him a smile. “ _She doesn’t talk about anyone else, Captain_.” He waved and turned back. “I’ll head back to the Morrigan. Say hello to the Grandmaster and her for me!”

***

He walked up to the mansion with an anxious feeling, like he was going to get caught and severely reprimanded for what he was doing. Shaking it off, Shay knocked on the front door and waited. When no answer came, he knocked again. Still, no one opened the door and just as he was going to move, he heard a distinctly familiar cackle sound from the backyard.

Curiously, he walked around the big house, admiring the roses growing around it. He came to a giant brick fence, and as he heaved himself over it, he caught sight of the Grandmaster and woman he was looking for.

He watched them a moment in surprise, staring at the two adults reclining in long chairs with wine glasses in their hands, some type of paste smeared on their faces. Shay listened to them for a minute.

“And I told him if he didn’t give me my drink, I was going to put my foot in his ass and use him as a new boot.”

Haytham chuckled at her and took a sip of his wine. “That _does_ sound like something _you’d_ say, (Y/N).” He popped a cookie in his mouth. “He get you your drink?”

She huffed and bit into a piece of ham. “ _Unfortunately_. But at least he recognized I _could_ and _would_ kick his ass.” She swallowed and reclined against the chair. “It feels wonderful out here, doesn’t it?”

He nodded, sipping his wine occasionally. “It does. I was afraid with how rainy it’s been the past few days that we’d have to spend the day inside.”

“ _Oh, come on_ , we have just as much fun on rainy days as we do dry ones.”

“True,” he agreed. “But there’s something to say about enjoying good food and drink in nature.”

(Y/N) raised her glass. “ _To good food, good drink, and even better company_.” She smiled at him. “ _To twenty-three years of friendship, Haytham_.”

He tapped his wine glass to hers. “ _I’ll drink to that, darling_.”

They took a long drink from their wines, then (Y/N) said, “ _Can you believe it’s been twenty-three years since we’ve met? Almost three full decades_?”

Haytham shook his head. “ _Seems like yesterday you showed up at Queen Anne’s Square_.” A rare sigh left him. “ _Like nothing changed_.” His eyes shown with a sadness he’d experienced in his life.

She couldn’t help but grimace at all they’d gone through. “ _I know_.” He met her eyes and she said, “ _I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world_.”

Haytham smiled, a genuine one. “You wouldn’t? _Not for a thing_?”

(Y/N) shook her head and held out her hand, waiting until he took it. “ _You and yours were all the family I ever knew. I wouldn’t give up everything I’ve lost and gained for anything else._ ” She squeezed his hand. “ _This is where I’m meant to be. Right here._ ”

“ _You might make me cry, (Y/N)_.”

“ _Good, please do so I can tell everyone about it_.”

Before he could stop himself, Shay snorted and immediately, the two templars jumped, reaching for the weapons beside their chairs. (Y/N) had her gun cocked and pointed when she guessed, “ _Shay_?”

He waved a hand, but as he was climbing over, his foot got caught and he tumbled to the ground, landing in a head of limbs. “ _Shite_!”

She snorted and set the gun on the ground, walking over to help him up. “Alright, up we go.” Grunting, she heaved and pulled him to his feet, watching as he dusted off his pants. “You okay?”

“Aye, nothing’s hurt but my _pride_ ,” he noted with red tinging his cheeks.

“ _I guess that’ll teach you for eavesdropping_.” He nodded mutely and she asked, “What are you doing here?”

Shay met her gaze. “I went to the office to find you two, but you weren’t there.” She simply stared, waiting for him to continue. “Gist said you and Master Haytham take today off every year and…so I…well, you know—”

“Came to see what we were doing?” He nodded and she spun around, motioning for him to follow. “ _Why am I not surprised_?”

“ _Because I’m a pain in your ass that likes to know what you’re doing_?”

“ _At least you know where your priorities are, Shay_.” She grinned, collapsing back into the chair.

He looked towards Haytham, who was staring off in the other direction. “Good Afternoon, Master Haytham.”

The other didn’t respond and (Y/N) remarked, “He’s just _embarrassed_ that you caught him in a _very informal moment_.” Finally, Shay realized the both of them were dressed in their undergarments and suddenly he felt uncomfortable.

“I am so—”

Haytham cut him off. “ _Shay, if you ever mention this moment to anyone outside of this place, I will personally kill you_.”

The Irishman nodded. “Understood, sir.” He took a moment to admire the two. “So, the two of you take a day off every year to celebrate your anniversary of meeting?”

(Y/N) nodded. “Amongst _other_ things. But _yes_ , that’s the _main_ reason.”

“And you just eat and drink and laze all day?”

“ _Is there a point to these questions, Shay_?” Haytham bit out.

“Just _curious_ is all.” He stared at their faces. “ _What_ …are you two covered in?”

She tapped the mixture on her face. “Face masks.”

“Face— _what_?”

“Face masks. It’s a cosmetic thing. Keeps the face tight and healthy.”

“ _Uh huh_.” He doubted. “And it works?”

“ _I haven’t seen signs of crow feet yet, so I would assume so_.” She waved at him. “Might as well sit, Shay. Take a load off, relax a bit.”

He shook his head. “I can’t. I’ve already treaded on your day when I shouldn’t have. I should—”

(Y/N) opened her eyes and gazed at him, murmuring, “ _This is a direct order, Shay Cormac. Sit your ass down and relax_.”

His eyes went wide, and he immediately took a seat beside her chair, taking the wine glass she held out to him. “Thank you, Lady—”

“ _Oh god, don’t call me that in private_.” She condemned, but quickly added, “(Y/N)’s fine.”

“Aye, (Y/N).”

The three of them sat in silence for a while, drinking and eating and then (Y/N) said, “ _Another anniversary gone by_.” She glanced at Haytham. “ _Can’t wait for the next one_.”

He huffed, but it came out as a laugh. “You _always_ say that.”

“ _Can’t help it_.” she grinned, relaxing on the chair. “ _It’s the one day out of the year that I get to do absolutely jack-shit_.”

“I guess _I_ should start having an anniversary day too.” Shay quipped.

(Y/N) looked at him and reached over, gently tracing his cheek with her fingers. “ _Put a ring on my finger and we can have an anniversary all on our own_.” He sucked in a breath and she rose from her seat. “Seems we’re out of wine. I’ll go get some.” She picked up the tray of food too. “And replenish the snacks.”

As she left, Shay glanced at Haytham and before he could speak, the Grandmaster held up a hand and deadpanned, “ **Don’t—Don’t say a word**.”


End file.
